The Met has the services of several countertenors -- the Julius Caesar revival 5 years ago had three, plus a female mezzo en travestri. It certainly hasn't been leaving A Midsummer Night's Dream alone for lack of Oberons. When the opera was on the company's schedule for 13 performances in 1997 and 2002, five countertenors did the role at various performances: Jochen Kowalski (he got the most), Derek Lee Ragin, Leon Varkas, and Mr. Daniels.

I adore the opera myself, but I'll be surprised if it comes back any time soon.

Anyone keen on Dvorak? A week ago I went to a concert performance of his "Jakobín", an opera which I've really enjoyed on the two occasions when I've seen it staged. It has some young lovers, a village schoolmaster/choirmaster, an old Count who has disinherited his son and - eventually - a happy ending which is quite moving. It can be heard via the BBC iPlayer for the next few days:http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01...ak_The_Jacobin/

Very peppy and tuneful, upbeat and accessible. Why is it not performed more often?

Yesterday I braved nearly six hours of Wagner and was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. Götterdämmerung was my last chance to see that stage machine everyone talks about so much, and it IS impressive. So was everything else. Voigt and Morris sounded great together (and separately). I did have a problem with Siegfried, though. Everyone kept calling him "hero" and "great warrior"...why? OK, he slayed a dragon, and that earns him a hero medal. But "great warrior"? He's not any kind of warrior, since he never fought in a war. Strictly a one-trick pony.

What I don't understand is why Brünnhilde kept crying out for Siegfried's death even after she'd figured out he was under a spell. She was really out for his blood. But once he was dead, she turned all lovey-dovey again. Don't mess with a Valkyrie, I guess.

None of that story can bear too close an examination. I was expecting rather more spectacle in the Immolation Scene -- bigger flames or more of them or something. But the final scenes did convey a great sense of loss; the whole production was successful in that regard. And once again we got to hear Siegfried turn into a good old boy from Texas for his interview -- ha.

Yesterday's Ernani...what a production! And the melody, just one tune after another, nonstop. Did anyone else go? The first time I saw Angela Meade, I thought: "THREE men are in love with that tub of lard?" (OK, I'm a pig.) But then she opened her mouth and started to sing, and guess what? Now I'm in love with her too. My wife kept giving me the elbow and saying, "See? See? I told you!" I wasn't keen on going to this one, but I am so glad I listened to both women.

Angela Meade's costume made her look bigger than she already is. Pastel colors, gathered waists, and puff sleeves should be worn only by skinny women. But none of that impeded her singing. She was grand, the whole production was grand. My only criticism is that it ran short, slightly under three and a half hours. When you go to a Verdi opera, you expect four and a half hours, or at least four, right? But what there was, was cherce.

My only criticism is that it ran short, slightly under three and a half hours. When you go to a Verdi opera, you expect four and a half hours, or at least four, right? But what there was, was cherce.

Two things here: 1. the number and length of the intervals (nothing to do with Verdi, everything to do with the production), and 2. the presence/absence of a ballet. Here are the approximate timings of actual music - excluding intervals - of each of the Verdi operas (Info from the Viking Opera Guide):

I believe modern people have been conditioned by the two hour motion picture (including cartoon, short subject, newsreel, and previews) program from the 30s through the 50s. The 5 hour marathon of musical entertainment of the 18th and 18th centuries is no longer really acceptable; I couldn't make it.

Operas no longer are presented with the ballet that once was required (at least in Paris), are they?